Coin-controlled lock.



G. G. LEHMANN, `GOIN- CONTROLLBD LOCK. APPLICATION FILED un. ze. ma.

1,105,980. Patented Aug.41914` CHRISTIAN G. LEHMANN, 'or DETROIT,MICHIGAN.

CDIN-CONTROLLED LOCK.

Specification. of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 4:, 1914;

Application filed April 28,1913. Serial No. 764,056.

1l 'o all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, CHRISTIAN G. Lans MANN, a subject or' the Emperor ofGerniany, residing at Detroit, in the county of Vayne and State ofMichigan, have invented certain neiv and useful Improyements inCoinLControlled Locks, of which the tollowing is a specification,ret'ercnce being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to improvements in coin controlled locks and itsobject iste provide means whereby a key for operating the lock is heldagainst turning or removal from the lock, said means being adapted to beactuatecl ,by a coin to release the key and being so arranged that whenthe key is again inserted in the lock it will be held against removaluntil thermcchanism is actuated by another coin.

To this end the invention consists in the matter hereinafter set forthand more particularly pointed .out in the appended claims, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawing, in which,

F'gure 1. s a side elevation of coin conn trolled mechanism embodyingthe invention with parts broken away to show the construction; Fig. 2,is a plan view ot the same with the surrounding casing` and parts shownin section; Fig. 3, is a sectional detail of the coin chute; and Fig.Ll, a transverse sectional detail of a portion of the mechanism showinga key in sideelevation.

A lock and its coin controlled mechanism is shown as applied to adoor-A, the llock B which may be of any desired form and construction,having a bolt C to engage a socket D in the edge of a door casing l]which surrounds the door. The mechanism is especially,designed forapplication to the doors of cabinets or lockers which are placed inpublic pla-ces for holding, temporarily, the outer clothing of guests,vthe idea being to obviate the necessityrfor checking the garments withthe consequent expense of employing an attendant and the resulting lossand confusion in handling the clothing. The device may however be aplied to a lock for other devices and may tie arranged in any suitable.manner. v

The lock B 'is shown as inclosed within a suitable casing 1, which maybe let into the door A or otherwise secured thereto in any suitablemanner. This casing forms a closure for the coin controlled mechanismand is provided with a coin chuteQ which opens through the top of theasing to receive a coin and discharges into the bottom ci the casing.The outer side of the casing is also formed with an opening to receive akey 3 and a suitable upwardly extenting guide l is provided on theeasing to form a support am guide for the key when the salue is insertedtherethrough to engage the lock. The inner end of the key is' formed inthe usual manner to engage and operate the, mecha- `nism of the lock andadjacent to this end.

portion or intermediate the ends of the key, the saine is formed withnotches 6 and 7 in a laterally extending portion or flange of the key.livotally supported intermediate its ends upon a pivot rod 8 extendingacross the casing is a latch bar 9 'formed with a notch 10 near one endto engage the notch in the middle portion of the key and prevent itsremoval from the'casing. The opposite cud of the latch bar E) isprovided with a linger l1 which projects through a longitudinal slot.1.2 in the coin chute 2, and the pivot 8 is so placed that the latchbar is normally held by gravity with its notched end l() in engagementwith the key said notch being formed with a straight side adjacent tothe end of the bar, forming a shoulder to prevent thevkey from beingturned in that direction and the opposite side of the notch beinginclined to permit thc key to turn freely toward the pivot oi the latchbar.

To engage the side ot the key which is toward the pivot 8 of the latchbar 9 and normally prevent said key from turning in th t direction, agravity dog 13 is pivoted erluediate its end upon a transverse pivot pinvllt and is beveled at one end, formmg a point 15 to engage a notch inthe side of the key and prevent the key from turning toward the dog. Theopposite end of the dog is provided with a tail piece 15 which extendsthrough the slot 12 in the coin chute at a considerable distance belowthe finger 11. A stop 1G on the casing engages the dog 13 and preventsthe same from turning into the path of the key when the saine isinserted in the casing. ,Secured toone side of the casing and extendingpart way across the same adjacent to one side of the chute, is a sprinfinger 17 adapted, as shown in Fig. 3, to )e engaged by the finger l1whenv the same is depressed by a coin placed in the chute and fallingupon the finger. The weight of s ueh a coin is sufficient to overbalFtache ance thelatch 9 and lift its notched end out of engagement withthe key. Thev weight of the coin is also'suiiicient tohold the latch barso turned with its finger 11 resting upon the spring 17. The keyistherefore released by the turnin of the latch bar when a coin is placedin t e chute and said key may be turned to the left to'unlock the door.

'A rocker bar 18 is pivoted at 19l within the easingr with one endextending over the upper edge of the key, and pivotally atto'this rockerbar at one side lthereof, is a dog 2O adapted to'engage the notch ,f1.7in thekey when said key is inI engage- `1nent withv the lock. This dog20 1s arranged to turn'lfreely away from its bar and thus permit the keyto be drawn out when the latch bar 9 is actuated by af coin, but

i when the key isagain inserted, the endof the' dog 20 engages aninclined surface on the key, and as the dog is prevented from swingingtoward the bar by its engagement therewith, said ba-r will be liftedwhenthe key lis inserted inthe lock. An extended end or finger 21 on-thehar 18'. projects heneath the latch bar 9 4adjacent to the pivot 8thereof and thus when the key is'inserted and the bar18 swung upwardlybyfthe engagement of the key with the. dog, the latch.

its pivot suiii- @ontlv to. withdrew i across the slo't in theffoiehutegandpermit the coin resting-.therein .to pass vdown, the

chute and fall upon-h `eita'il*piece 15 ofthe gravity, dog 13.Tha-falling of,V the. com upon the tail piece turns ,the 'dog up'on itspivot and swings its pointed end away from the'side of the key, thuspermitting the key to he turned to the right, the weight of the coinholding the dog so turned withthe tail` .piece in engagement with andyieldingly supported by a spring finger 22 secured at one end to thecasing and extending transversely thereof1 ad'iacent to one side of thecoin chute in a manner similar tothe finger 17. When the latch bar 9isturned asdescribed by the insertion of the key, it Iwill fall l'gaek tonormal position soon'tisv the dogg 20 drops into the notch 7 ofthe key,said spring finger 17 assisting to throw the notched end of'thelatchharinto engagement with the notch G of the key.

li votally supported upon a transverse rod 2:1 is a swinging arm 24having an extended end portion resting upon the spring 22. This arm isalso provided with an upwardly extended arm 26 positioned adjacent to'the side of the key 4 which is engaged by the don; 155. ljVhcn the arm24 is normally held by the spring; 22, its laterally extending arm il#projects upwardly close to the side of the ke'y, and when the dog 13 hasbeen turned out of engagement with said side of the key hy coin passingdown the coin chute, the :3 keyim'ay he turned to the right to operatefinger 11 from lof the casing.

the lock and when so turned, said key will engage the arm 26 and swing,rthe arm'24 downwardly against the action of the spring finger 22. Theweight of thecoin upon the tail piece 15 ofthe dog 13 will turn the ldogwhen the spring is so depressed bythe arm 24 and said tail piece 15 willthus be withdrawn from across the slot of the coin chute, permitting'the coin to pass the end therefor and drop out of theopen-'lower end ofthe chute. The coin isthus released and falls into the bottom of thecasing 1, and as the key turns back to normal position, the swing-ingIarm 24 willbe turned yupwardly by the spring 22 with the arm 26 adjacentto the side of the key. i l

Where this device is applied to lockers or. similar devices, a customerplaces a CoinI in the chute. This operates the latch ',bar 9 andreleases the key so that it may fbe turned to unlock the door of thelocker.` Hel may then place his clothingr in the locker, close the.doorand remove the key, taking it with him. VVhenhe returns, theinsertion of the key raisesthe rocker bar 18 which in turn furtheractuates the latch bar 9 and allows the coin to pass the end of thefinger 11 and drop down the chuteinto engagement withv the dog 13 out ofengagement with the side of the key, at thevsame time permitting thelatch har to fall into engagement with the notch 6 of the key, but owingto the shape -the tail piece of the dog `12. This moves of the notch inthe key, said key may be,

'turned toward the right tol unlock the door.

He may then remove his clothing fromthe locker and close the door but in.unlocking the door he has turned thel key' to the right and in so doingoperated the swinging arm 24: to allow the further turning of thedogr 13and the escape of the coin into the bottom The fall of the latch barback into vengagement with the key after the coin has passed the ngerll,locks the key within the casingI and prevents the custon'ler from againremoving the key without inserting another coin.

Obviously changes may be made in the constructior'i and arrangement otparts without'dcparting from the spirit ofmy inven tion and I do nottherefore limit myself to the particular form or arrangement shown.

'inoesfceo -koy against removal from vthe lock and thereof in onedirection against turningl and adapted to support a .coin placed in saidchute, said member being adapted to he operated by a coin contactingtlercivith in the coin chute to release the key, and means independent-o't said bolt operated by the insertion of the key in. the lock 'torreleasing the coin.

3. The conbination of a casing, a lock in said casing, a bolt formingpart of said lock,

key for operatin tbe bolt of said lock, a

key engaging mem )er to prevent the longitudinal and rotary movement ofthe` key and adapted to be moved and held out of engagement with the keyby coin deposited on said member, and a second member independent ofsaid bolt and actuated by the insertion of the key in the lock foractuating the member for engaging the key, to release the coin fromengagement therewith and permit the rengagement of said key engagingmember with' the key.

4. The combination of a casing, a lock ini the casing, a bolt formingpart of said lock, a key for operating'the bolt of the lock providedwith a ntch, a latch bar to engage in the notch and provided with anotch to receive the key, and adapted to b e directly operated by a coinand held by said coinresting on said bar ont of engagement with' thekey, and means actuated independent of said bolt by the insertion of thekey in the lock te release the coin.

5. The combinationof a casing, a lock-in said casing, a bolt .formingpart of said lock, a key for operating the bolt of the lock, a latch barto engage the key and prevent vits withdrawal from: the lock and theturning to actnate the bolt, a dog to prevent the turning of the key inan opposite direction, means actuated by a coin for turning the latchbar to release the key and permitsaid key to be turned and withdrawnfrom engagement with the bolt, said means temporarily supporting thecoin` and means actuated independent of said bolt by the insertion oi'the key in the lock to release the coin, said dog being arranged to beactuated by the coin when released to release the key and permit thesame to be turned in a direction opposite to that in which it is heldfrom turning by the latch bar.

6. The combination of a casing, a lock in said casing, a k'cy foroperating the lock, a pivoled latch bar to engage the key at one end andprevent longitudinal and turning movement thereof, a coin chute, afinger on the latch bai-,extending across the coin chuteadapted to beengaged by and support a coin` passing down the chute to turn the latchbar ont of engagement with the key, a pivoted` dog toengage the key andextending into the path of the coin passing down the chute, and meansfor actuating the latch bar when the key is inserted in the lock torelease the coin in the coin chute and permit the same to drop intoengagement: with the dog.

7. The combination of a casing. a lock in said casing, a bolt formingpart of said lock, n key adapted to'be inserted in the lock lforoperating the bolt of the lock. a coin chute, a 'pivoted latch bar toengage the key at one fend, a linger on the latch bar extending acrossthe coin chute and adapted to support a coin placed in said chute and beactuated thereby to turn the latch bar out of engagement with the key, amember actuated by the insertion of the key in the lock for turning thelatch bar and moving its linger from across the chute, and meansindependent of said bolt actuated by the turning of the'keyfor-releasing the coin from the chute.

8. The combination of a casing, 'a lock in said casing, a key adaptedtobe inserted in the lock for operating the same, a coin chute, a latchbar to engage the key and ada ted to be turned out vot' engagement witht e key and held in a osition toA which it is turned by a coin passing.down the chute and supported by said bar, a pivoted member adapted toengage the latch bar and release the coin, and a vdog on the pivotedmember adapted to be en aged by the key and to operate the pivotedmember when the key is inserted in the lock.

9. The combination of a casing, a lock in theeasing, a key for operatingthe lock having a notch, a pivoted latch bar having a notch in one'endto engage the notch in the key, a finger on the opposite end of 'thelatch bar, a coin chute across which the finger ex- `tends whereby saidfinger can support a coin in said chute, a, spring stop for the fingerof said latch bar into engagement with which it is turned by a coinpassing down the chute and "engaging the finger, a pivoted memberadapted to enga-ge and turn the latch bar against the actionfof saidspring stop, a dog on said pivoted member to engage the ,key and adaptedto turn to permit the removalV of the key and to actnate said memberwhen the key is inserted in the lock. and a pivoted member adapted to beturned by the turning of the key to release. the coin. A

10. The combination with a casing, a lock in said casing, and a key toengage the lock having notchesl in` one side," of a coin chute havingI alongitudinal slot, a pivotcd latch bar having a notch to engage one ofthe notches in the key and prevent longitudinal movement of the key andits turning in one direction, a finger on the opposite end of the latchbar extendingthrough the slot in the coin chute and adapted to support acoin therein, a spring stop for the latch bar, a pivoted member adaptedto be turned into engagement with the latch bar to turn said Y baragainst the action of said s ringstop pivotalvly attached vt0 thepivotedmember andadapted to engage one of the notches in the key, atgravity dog pivotalzly' supported and'relea'se the lcoin held there y, a4dog in the casing to engage one side of the key, said dog having anopposite end extending through thevslot in'the coin Chute and ada. ted-to supporta4 coin and be aetuated theregy a spring stop for said '1gravity dog, an

means actuated by the turning 'of the ke rto depress the .s ring stop:for the gravity og,

I and release t e com -he1d-thereby.

11.A In a coin controlledkey lock, the comin an pposite'direction.

bine-tin with a key, of means engaging one side of the, key and actuatedby a coin to release said key and permit of rota-tion in one directionzand means engaging the opposite y side of the key and actuatedby thesame coin to `release nsid key whereby it can be rotated In testimonwhereof I affix my signature in presence o two witnesses.

j CHRISTIAN G. LEHMANN.

l Witnesses:

